The Almost Christian DiscoveredMatthew Mead

(Morgan, PA: Soli Deo Gloria, 1995)Began: August, 2010; Finished: October 2010

Foreward by John MacArthur [vii]

"Matthew Mead's challenge to spurious believers is as timely today as when he wrote it in 1661.More than just a period piece, this volume offers a much-needed antidote to the shallowness andflippancy that characterizes today's Christianity. It contrasts sharply with the modern tendency toembrace as a brother or sister in the faith everyone who names the name of Christ. It sounds analarm that few today would dare even whisper. In fact, The Almost Christian Discoveredprovides sobering proof of how far the contemporary church has slipped from the moorings ofher heritage. [Today's] Christians, conditioned to accept carnality, worldliness, and compromiseas part of the normal Christian experience, are certain to be shocked by Mead's admonition. Weare not used to hearing truth presented in such straightforward and confrontive terms. MatthewMead is no diplomat He is a real preacher, and he speaks with prophetic accuracy."

MacArthur observes, "[Mead's] expose of the "almost Christian" rips the cover away from thesubtle forms of hypocrisy that lurk in all our hearts."

To the Congregation [x]

Mead's introduction from his sermon series. He tells of the difficulty in addressing this issue andgrieves that he may hurt weak consciences.

To the Reader [xv]

Mead's similar introduction to those who would be reading the discourses in written form.

Introduction [1]

Mead gives his central thesis: "There are very many in the world that are almost and, yet, butalmost Christians."

"Many are near heaven and, yet, are never the nearer. Many are within a litle of salvation and,yet, shall never enjoy the least salvation. They are within sight of heaven and, yet, shall neverhave a sight of God. It is said of the truly righteous, he shall "scarcely be saved"; and it is said ofthe seemingly righteous, he shall be "almost saved." "Thou art not far from the kingdom of God."The righteous shall be saved with a "scarcely"; that is, through much difficulty. He shall go to

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heaven through many sad fears of hell. The hypocrite shalll be saved with an "almost"; that is, heshall go to hell through many fair hopes of heaven." [5]

"The saint may be cast down very near to hell and yet shall never come there, and the hypocritemay be lifted up very near to heaven and yet never come there." [6]

Mead contends that we ought not be shaken or discouraged by this. The warnings against fallingshort of God's grace are not there to wound believers, but to awaken sinners from their slumber.

Mead uses as an example, Jesus in Matthew 26: "One of you will betray me" and goes on to say:". . . they that were innocent suspected themselves most and, therefore, cried out, "Master, is itI?" So when we also cry out from our souls: "Is it I?" – but we cling the more tightly to theblood stained robes of our Lord.

We look at where we stand. Solely on the imputed righteousness of Christ? Or are we trusting inourselves? Warnings against laxity and unbelief are used by the Spirit to fuel our perseverance.

That we wrestle with these things is a sign of life, not death.

The rest of Mead's book (originally a sermon series) is guided by a series of 5 questions (the firstis by far the longest section).

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I. Question One [16]: "How far may a man go in the way to heaven and yet be but almost aChristian?"

A. Section I. A man may have much knowledge and much light; he may know much ofGod and His will, much of Christ and His ways, and yet be but almost a Christian. For,though there can be no grace without knowledge, yet there be much knowledge wherethere is no grace.

"To make a man altogether a Christian, there must be light in the head and heat in the heart,knowledge in the understanding and zeal in the affections. Some have zeal and no knowledge -that is blind devotion. Some have knowledge and no zeal - that is fruitless speculation. But whereknowledge is joined with zeal, that makes a true Christian."

"It is not every knowledge of God and Christ that interests the soul in eternal life. For why, then,do the devils perish?" They have more knowledge of God than all the men in the world; forthough by their fall, they lost their holiness, yet they lost not their knowledge."

Knowledge may fill the head, but not the heart if there isn't something else. Example of thePharisees.

B. Section II. A man may have great and eminent gifts, yea, spiritual gifts, and yet be butalmost a Christian.

"God may use a man's gifts to bring another to Christ when he himself, whose gifts God uses,may be a stranger unto Christ. One man may confirm another in the faith and yet himself may bea stranger to the faith. Pendleton strengthened and confirmed Sanders, in Queen Mary's days, tostand in the truth he had preached and to seal it with his blood, and yet, afterwards, played theapostate himself

Scultetus tells us of one Johannes Speiserus, a famous preacher of Augsburgh in Germany in theyear 1523, who preached the gospel so powerfully that divers common harlots were convertedand became good Christians; and yet himself afterwards turned papist and came to a miserableend. Thus the candle may burn bright to light others in their world and yet, afterwards, go out in astink.

A man may preach like an apostle, pray like an angel, and yet may have the heart of a devil. It isgrace only that can change the heart. The greatest gifts cannot change it, but the least grace can.Gifts may make a man a scholar, but grace makees a man a believer."

C. Section III. A man may have a high profession of religion, be much in external dutiesof godliness, and yet be but almost a Christian.

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Mead cites Jesus' words, "Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom ofheaven." He offers Judas as an example: "What a godly profession Judas had! He followedChrist, left all for Christ, preached the gospel of Christ, cast out devils in the name of Christ, andate and drank at the table of Christ, yet Judas was only a hypocrite."

1. Four Evidences of This Truth

a. If a man may profess religion and yet never have his heart changed nor his statebettered, then he may be a great professor and yet be but almost a Christian.

b. A man may profess religion and live in a form of godliness in hypocrisy.

c. Custom and fashion may make a man a professor; as you have many that wearthis or that garb, not because it keeps them warmer or has an excellency in it morethan other, but merely for fashion.

". . . but when religion suffers, then its confessors are no more than its converts, for custommakes the former, but conscience the latter. He that is a professor of religion merely for custom'ssake, when it prospers, will never be a martyr for Christ's sake when religion suffers. He thatowns the truth to live upon it will disown it when it comes to live upon him." [26]

d. If many may perish under a profession of godliness. then a man may professreligion and yet be but almost a Christian.

"In St. Matthew, you read of some who came and made boast of their profession to Christ,hoping that might save them. "Lord," say they, "have we not prophesied in Thy name, cast outdevils in Thy name, done many wonderful works in Thy name?" Now what does our Lord Christsay to this? "Then I will profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from Me."

Mark, here are they who prophesy in His name and yet perish in His wrath; in His name cast outdevils and then are cast out themselves; in His name do many wonderful works and yet perish aswicked workers. The profession of religion will no more keep a man from perishing than callinga ship the Safeguard or the Good-Speed will keep her from sinking. As many go to heaven withthe fear of hell in their hearts, so many go to hell with the name of Christ in their mouths. Now,then, if many may perish under a profession of godliness, then a man may be a high professor ofreligion and yet be but almost a Christian." [27]

"Hypocrites may be professors, but the martyrs are the true confessors. Profession is swimmingdown the stream. Confession is a swimming against the stream. Now, many may swim with thestream like the dead fish that cannot swim against the stream with the living fish. Many mayprofess Christ that cannot confess Christ; and so these, notwithstanding their profession, yet arebut almost Christians." [28]

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D. Section IV. To come yet nearer, a man may go far in opposing his sin and yet be butalmost a Christian.

1. Conviction may be rational as well as spiritual.

2. Convictions may be worn out.

3. Many take conviction of sin to be conversion from sin and so sit down and rest intheir convictions.

4. True mourning for sin must flow from spiritual convictions of the evil, vileness, anddamnable nature of sin.

5. True mourning for sin is more for the evil that is in sin than the evil that comes bysin; more because it dishonors God, wounds Christ, grieves the Spirit, and makes thesoul unlike God than because it damns the soul.

"Many will confess sin, but it is only under extremity; that is not free and voluntary. Pharaohconfessed his sin, but it was when judgment compelled him." [32]

"Mr. Torshel tells a story of a minister he knew that would often be drunk and, when he cameinto tne pulpit, would confess it very lamentingly. Yet no sooner was he out of the pulpit but hewould be drunk again, and this would he do as constantly as men follow their trades." [32]

6. open sins may be deserted and yet secret sins may be retained.

7. A man may forsake sin but not as sin, for he that forsakes sin as sin forsakes all sin.

8. A man may let one sin go to hold another faster.

9. A man may let all sin go and yet be a sinner still; for there is the root of all sin in theheart though the fruit is not seen m the life.

"A man may forsake the life of sin and yet retain the love of sin. Now, though leaving sin makeshim almost a Christian, yet loving sin shows he is but almost a Christian. It is less evil to do sinand not love it than to love sin and not do it, for to do sin may argue only weakness of grace, butto love sin argues strength of lust. "What I hate, that I do." Sin is bad in any part of man, but sinin the affection is worse than sin in the conversation; for sin in the conversation may be onlyfrom infirmity, but sin in the affection is the fruit of choice and unregeneracy." [36]

10. All sin may be chained and yet the heart not changed.

E. Section V. A man may hate sin, and yet be but almost a Christian.

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"It is true that there is a hatred of sin which is a sign of grace, which flows from a principle otgrace, and is grace." Yet,

1. A man may hate sin for the shame that attends it more than for the evil that is in it.

2. A man may hate sin more in others than in himself.

"So does the drunkard - he hates drunkenness in another and yet practices it himself The liarhates falsehood in another but likes it himself. Now, he who hates sin from a principle of gracehates sin most in himself. He hates sin in others, but he loathes most the sins of his own heart."[36-37]

3. A man may hate one sin as being contrary to another.

F. Section VI. A man may make great vows and promises; he may have strong purposesand resolutions against sin, and yet be but almost a Christian.

The greatest purposes and promises against sin will not make a man a Christian, for:

1. Purposes and promises against sin never hurt sin.

2. Troubles and afflictions may provoke us to large purposes and promises against sinfor the future.

"Many covenant against sin when trouble is upon them and then sin against their covenant whenit is removed from them. It was a brave rule that Pliny, in one of his epistles, gave his friend tolive by, "We should continue to be such when we are well as we promise to be when we aresick." Many are our sickbed promises, but we are no sooner well than we grow sick of ourpromises." [38-39]

3. Purposes and resolves against sin for the future may be only a temptation to put offrepentance for the present.

4. Nature unsanctified may be so far wrought on as to make great promises andpurposes against sin.

"First, a natural man may have great convictions of sin from the workings of an enlightenedconscience. Second, he may approve of the law off God. Third, he may have a desire to be saved.Now these three together, the workings of conscience, the sight ot the goodness of the law, and adesire to be saved, may bring forth in a man great purposes against sin and yet he may have noheart to perform his own purposes." [39]

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G. Section VII. A man may maintain a strife and combat against sin in himself, and yetbe but almost a Christian.

"There, the strife is between the will and the conscience; conscience enlightened and terrifiedwith the fear of hell and damnation, that is against sin; the will and affection, not being renewed,are for sin. And this causes great tugging and combats, many times, in the sinner's heart. Thus itwas with the Scribes and Pharisees. Conscience convinced them of the divinity Christ and thetruth of His being the Son of God, and yet a perverse will and carnal affections cry out. "CrucifyHim! Crucify Him!" [41-42]

"OBJECTION. But is it not commonly taught that desires of grace are grace? Nay, does not ourLord Christ make it so? "Blessed are they that hunger and thirst alter rignieousness; tor they shallbe filled.

ANSWER. It is true that there are some desires of grace which are grace, as:

1. When a man desires grace from a right sense of his natural state; when he sees the vileness ofsin and the woeful, defiled, arnd loathsome condition he is in by reason of sin and, therefore,desires the grace of Christ to renew and change him, this is grace. This some make to be thelowest degree of saving faith.

2. When a man joins proportionable endeavors to his desires not only wishes for grace, but worksfor grace, such desires are grace.

3. When a man's desires are constant and incessant, that cease not but in the attainment of theirobject, such desires are true grace."

"OBJECTION. But is not that a note of sincerity and truth of grace, to tremble at the Word? Doesnot God say, "To him will I look, that is of a poor and contrite spirit, and trembles at My Word?"

ANSWER. There is a two-fold trembling:

1. One is when the Word reveals the guilt of sin and the wrath of God that belongs to that guilt.

2. There is a trembling which arises from a holy dread and reverence of the majesty of Godspeaking in His Word.

This is only found in true believers, and is that which keeps the soul low in its own eyes."

"A man may delight in the Word and ordinances of God and yet be but almost a Christian. Theytake delight in approaching God. And it is said of that ground, that it "received the Word withjoy", and yet it was but "stony ground." [45-46]

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"OBJECTION. But is it not made a character of a godly man to delight in the Word of God?Does not David say, "He is a blessed man that delights in the law of the Lord!"

ANSWER. There is a delighting in the Word which flows from grace and is a proof ofblessedness.

1. He that delights in the Word because of its spirituality is a Christian indeed.

2. When the Word comes close to the conscience, rips up the heart, and reveals sin, and yet thesoul delights in it. notwithstanding, this is a sign of grace.

3. When delight arises from that communion that is to be had with God there, that is from aprinciple of grace in the soul.

But there may be a delight in the Word where there is no grace.

1) There are many who delight in the Word because of the eloquence ot the preacher . . . 2) There are many who delight to hear the Word who yet take no delight to do it. So God said ofthem, "They delight to hear My words, but they do them not."

H. Section VIII. A man may be a member of the church of Christ, he may join himself tothe people of God, partake with them in all ordinances, and share of all church privilegesand yet be but almost a Christian.

I. Section IX. A man may have great hopes of heaven, great hopes of being saved, and yetbe but almost a Christian.

"A man may hope for heaven and yet not cleanse his heart nor depart from his secret sins. Thathope of salvation that is not accompanied with heart-purification is a vain hope. A man may hopefor heaven and yet be doing the work of hell. He may hope for salvation and yet be workmg outhis own damnation, and so perish in his confidences. This is the case of many." [50]

J. Section X. A man may be under great and visible changes, and these wrought by theministry of the Word, and yet be but almost a Christian.

Examples Mead gives include: Saul; Simon Magus.

"Not every change makes a man a Christian. Indeed, there is a change that makes whoever isunder it a true Christian.When a man's heart is so changed that it is renewed; when old things"are done away and all is become new"; when the new creature is wrought in the soul; when aman is "turned from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God;" when the mind isenghtened, the will renewed, the affections made heavenly, then a man is a Christian indeed."[51-52]

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"I do not speak this to discountenance any change short of that which is spiritual, but to awakenyou to seek after that change which is more than moral. It is good to be outwardly renewed, but itis better to be inwardly renewed. I know how natural it is for men to take up with anything like awork of conversion, though it is not conversion, and, resting in that, they eternally perish." [53]

"A man may go far in an outward change and yet not be one step nearer heaven than he who wasnever under any change. Nay, he may be, in some sense, further off. Christ said the Scribes andPharisees were further from heaven with all their show of godliness than publicans and harlots inall their sin and uncleanness. Resting in a false work, a partial change, we neglect to seek after atrue and saving change. There is nothing more common than to mistake our state and, by over-weening thoughts, misjudge our condition and so perish in our own delusions. The world is fullof those foolish builders who lay the foundation of their hopes of eternal salvation upon thesand." [53]

"Now, my brethren, would you not mistake the way to heaven and perish in a delusion? Wouldyou not be found fools at last? For none are such fools as the spiritual fool, who is a fool in thegreat business of salvation. Would you not be fools for your souls and for eternity? Oh, then,labor after, and pray for, a thorough work of conversion. Beg God that He would make a savingchange in your souls, that you may be altogether Christians. All other changes below this savingchange, this heart-change, make us but almost Christians." [54]

K. Section XI. A man may be very zealous in the matters of religion and yet be but almosta Christian.

Eight Kinds of Counterfeit Zeal

1. There is a blind zeal, a zeal without knowledge.

The Jews have a zeal, but not according to knowledge. "This was the zeal of Paul while he was aPharisee. "I was zealous towards God, as ye are dl this day, and I persecuted this way unto thedeath." [56]

2. There is a partial zeal; in one thing.

3, There is a misplaced zeal fixed upon unsuitable and disproportionate objects.

4. There is a selfish zeal that has a man's own end for its motive.

5. There is an outside zeal. Such was that of Scribes and Pharisees.

6. There is a forensic zeal that runs out upon others; like the candle in the lantern that sends allthe heat out at the top; or, as the lewd woman Solomon mentions. whose "feet abide not in herown house."

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7. There is a sinful zeal.

"All the former may be called sinful from some defect, but this I call sinful in a more specialnotion because it is against the life and chief of religion. It is a zeal against zeal that flies not atprofaneness, but at the very power of godliness; not at error, but at truth; and is most hot againstthe most spiritual and most important truths of the times."[59]

8. There is a scripture-less zeal that is not butted and bounded by the Word, but by some base andlow end.

L. Section XII. A man may be much in prayer. He may pray often and pray much andyet be but almost a Christian. So did the Pharisees whom yet our Lord Christ rejectedfor hypocrites.

1. Nature may put a man upon prayer, for it is a part of natural worship.

2. A man may pray in pretence for a covering to some sin.

3. A man may pray and yet love sin.

4. A man may pray much for temporal things, and little for spiritual things; and suchare the prayers of most men.

5. A man may pray and yet be far from God in prayer:

6. A man's prayer may be a lie.

7. Affliction and the pressure of outward evils will make a man pray and pray much.

M. Section XIII. A man may suffer for Christ in his body, in his name, and in his person,and yet be but almost a Christian.

"Every man that bears Christ's cross on his shoulders does not, therefore, bear Christ's image inhis soul." [64]

N. Section XIV. A man may be called of God, and embrace this call, and be but almost aChristian.

"Though God calls all those that shall be saved, yet all shall not be saved whom God calls. Everyman under the gospel is called of God in one sense or other, but yet every man under the gospelshall not, therefore, be saved, for "many are called, but few are chosen". There is a twofold callof God: internal and external." [66]

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O. Section XV. A man may have the Spirit of God and yet be but almost a Christian.

"There is a having the Spirit which is a sure mark of saintship: where the Spirit is an effectualprevailing principle of grace and sanctification, renewing and regenerating the heart; where theSpirit is a potent worker helping the soul's infirmities; where the Spirit is so as to abide forever.But, now, every man that has the Spirit does not have the Spirit in this manner. for:

1. A man may have the Spirit only transiently, not abidingly.

2. A man may have the Spirit and yet not be born of the spirit.

3. A man may have the Spirit only as a Spirit of bondage.

4. A man may have the Spirit of God working in him. and yet it may be resisted by him.

5. A man may have the Spirit and yet sin that unpardonable sin."

"The true believer has so much of the Spirit, such a work of it in him, that he cannnot sin that sin."He that is born of God sins not"; to wit, that "sin unto death," for that is meant. The carnalprofessing sinner cannot sin that sin because he is carnal and sensual, having not the Spirit. Aman must have some measure of the Spirit that sins this sin. so has the hypocrite. He is said to bea "partaker of the Holy Ghost", and he only is capable of sinning the sin against he Holy Ghost."[69]

P. Section XVI. A man may have faith and yet be but almost a Christian.

1. The faith of most is but a temporary faith. "It endures for a while and then dies and perishes. True saving faith, such as is the faith of God'select, cannot die. It may fail in the act but not in the habit. The sap may not be in the branch but itis always in the root. That faith that perishes, a man may have and perish." [71]

2. There is a faith that lies only in generals, not in particulars.

3. There is a faith that is seated in the understanding but not in the will.

4. There is a faith without experience.

5. There is a faith that is without brokenness of heart, that does not avail to melt orsoften the heart, and, therefore, is not true faith;

6. There is a faith that does not transform the heart;

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Q. Section XVII. A man may go further yet. He may possibly have a love to the people ofGod and yet be but almost a Christian.

Mead answers objections to this proposition:

"To this I answer that there is a love to the children of God which is a proof of our being thechildren of God. For instance, when we love them for that very reason, as being the saints ofGod; when we love them for the image of God which appears in them, because of that grace andholiness which shines forth in their conversation. This is truly commendable. to love the godlyfor godliness sake, the saints for saintship. This is a sure testimony of our Christianity. The loveof grace in another is a good proof of the life of grace in ourselves. There can be no betterevidence of the Spirit of Christ in us than to love the image of Christ in others. For this is acertain truth, a sinner cannot love a saint as such. "An Israelite is an abomination to an Egyptian."There is a contrariety and natural enmity between the two seeds, between the children of theworld and those whom the Father in His eternal love has chosen out of the world." [74-75]

"[The genuine believer] cannot love a sinner as a sinner: "In whose eyes a vile person iscondemned." He may love him as a creature; he may love his soul, or he may love him undersome relation that he stands in to him. Thus, God loves the damned spirits as they are Hiscreatures; but, as fallen angels, He hates them with an infinite hatred." [75]

1. A man may love a child of God for his loving, peaceable, courteous deportment to allwith whom he converses.

2. A man may love a saint for his outward greatness and splendor in the world.

3. A man may love a child of God for his fidelity and usefulness in his place.

R. Section XVIII. A man may obey the commands of God, yea, many of the commands ofGod, and yet be but almost a Christian.

"OBJECTION. But is it not said, "He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it isthat loveth Me; and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father; and I will love him, andmanifest Myself unto him?'

I answer, there is an obedience to the commands of Christ which is a sure proof of ourChristianity and friendship to Christ. This obedience has a threefold property: 1. Evangelical; 2.Universal; and 3. Continual.

First, it is evangelical obedience both in the matter and manner, the ground and end.

In the matter of it; and that is what God requires; "Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever Icommand you."

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In the manner of it; and that is according as God requires: "God is a Spirit; and they that worshipHim must worship Him in spirit and in truth."

In the ground of it; and that is, "a pure heart, a good conscience, and a faith unfeigned."

In the end of it; and that is the honor and glory c God: "Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory ofGod.

Second, it is a universal obedience which extends itself to all the commands of God alike.

Third, it is a continual obedience, putting the hand to God's plow without looking back.

Yet,

"A man may obey the law and yet have no love to the Lawgiver. A carnal heart may do thecommand of God, but he cannot love God and, therefore, cannot do it right; for love to God is thefoundation and spring of all true obedience." [79]

S. Section XIX. A man may be sanctified and yet be but almost a Christian.

"Every kind of sanctification does not make a man a new creature, for many are sanctified whoare never renewed. You read of those who "count the blood of the covenant, wherewith they weresanctified, an un holy thing." [80]

"To this [objection] I answer, you must know there is a two-fold work of sanctification spoken ofin Scripture. One is common and ineffectual, the other is special md effectual." [80]

"That work of sanctification which is true and effectual is the working of the Spirit of God in thesoul, enabling it to the mortifying of all sin, to the obeying of every command, "to walking withGod in all well-pleasing." Now, whoever is thus sanctified is one with Him that sanctifies. Christwill not be ashamed to call such brethren, for they are "flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone.

But, then, there is a more common work of sanctification which is ineffectual as to the two greatworks of dying to sin and living to God. This kind of sanctitication may help to restrain sin butnot to mortify sin. It may lop off the boughs but it does not lay the axe to the root of the trees. Itsweeps and garnishes the room with common virtues but does not adorn it with saving graces, sothat a man is but almost a Christian, notwithstanding this sanctification." [81]

On page 83, Mead thus comes to his "one great conclusion:"

T. Section XX. A man may do all as to external duties and worship that a true Christiancan and, when he has one all, be but almost a Christian.

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"You must know that all the commands of God have an intra and an extra. There is the body andsoul of the command. Accordingly, there is an internal and an external worship of God. Now, theinternal acts of worshiping of God are to love God, to fear God, to delight in God, to trust inGod, etc. The external acts of worshiping of God are by praying, teaching, hearing, etc. Now,there is a vast difference between these internal and external acts of worship. There is such adifference that they distinguish the altogether from the almost Christian; the sincere believerfrom the unsound professor. Indeed, in this very thing the main difference between them lies."[83]

1. Internal acts of worship are good.

2. Internal acts of worship put a goodness into external.

3. They better the heart and magnify the degrees of a man's holiness. (External duties do notalways do this.)

4. There is such an excellency in this internal worship that he who mixes it with his externalduties is a true Christian when he does least; but, without this mixture, he is but almost aChristian that does most.

"The almost Christian can pray but he cannot love God. He can teach or hear but he cannot takedelight in God. Mark Job's query concerning the hypocrite: "Will he delight himself in theAlmighty?" Will he take pleasure in God?" Ah, no! He will not, he cannot!" [85]

"Why, then, should any saint of God be discouraged when he hears how far the almost Christianmay go in the way to heaven? Whereas, he who is the weakest true believer, who has the leasttrue grace, goes further than he, for he believes in and loves God. Should the almost Christian doless as to matter of external duties; yet, if he had but the least true faith, the least sincerity of loveto Christ, he would surely be saved. Should the true Christian do ten times more duties than hedoes, yet, had he not faith in Christ and love to Christ, he would surely be rejected." [85]

"Oh, therefore, let not any weak believer be discouraged, though hypocrites may out-do them andgo beyond them in duty; for all their duties are done in hypocrisy, but your faith and love to Godin duties is a proof of your sincerity!" [85]

"Pray much, but then believe much too. Hear much, read much, but then love God much too.Delight in the Word and ordinances of God much, but then delight in the God of ordinancesmore." [86]

"The professor rests in duties, and so is but almost a Christian; but you must be sure to rest uponthe Lord Christ. This is the way to be altogether Christians for, if you believe, then are youAbraham's seed and heirs according to the promise." [86]

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Mead concludes this first great section:

"Thus, I have answered the first query - How far may a man go in the way to heaven and yet bebut almost a Christian?"

1. He may have much knowledge. 2. He may have great gifts. 3. He may have a high profession. 4. He may do much against sin.5. He may desire grace. 6. He may tremble at the word.7. He may delight in the word. 8. He may be a member of the church of Christ. 9. He may have great hopes of heaven.10. He may be under great and visible changes.11. He may be very zealous in the matters ot religion. 12. He may be much in prayer. 13. He may suffer for Christ.14. He may be called of God. 15. He may, in some sense, have the Spirit of God. 16. He may have some kind of faith.17. He may love the people of God. 18. He may go far in obeying the commands of God.19. He may be, in some sense, sanctified. 20. He may do all, as to external duties, that a true Christian can, and yet be no better thanalmost a Christian.

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II. Question Two [88]: "Why is it that many men go so far that they come to be almostChristians?"

A. First, it may be to answer the call of conscience – though few men have grace all menhave conscience (this is how far conscience may go in this work)

1. Conscience owns a God, and that this God must be worshiped and served by thecreature

2. Know this, that natural conscience is capable of great improvements from the meansof grace

"Sitting under the ordinances may exceedingly heighten the endowments of conscience. It maybe much regulated though it is not at all renewed. It may be enlightened and convinced, yetnever savingly converted and changed. You read in Hebrews 6:4 of some who once wereenlightened, tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost. Whatwork shall we call this? It could not be a saving work, a true change and conversion of statefor, notwithstanding this enlightening, tasting, and partaking, they are said to fall away, verse5. Had It been a true grace, they could never have fallen away from that. A believer may fallbut he cannot away. He may fall foully but he cannot fall finally, for underneath are theeverlasting arms. His faith is established in the strength of that prayer of Christ that eternal lifewhich He gives from which we shall never perish.

This work, then, here spoken of cannot be any saving work because it is not an abiding work,for they that are under it are said to fall away from it. But though it is not a saving grace, yet itis a supernatural work. It is an improvement made by the Word upon the consciences of menthrough the power of the Spirit. Therefore, they are said to taste the good Word of God and tobe made partakers of the Holy Ghost. They have not the Spirit abiding in them savingly, butstriving with them and working upon them convincingly to the awakening and settingconscience to work. And conscience, thus stirred, may carry a man very far m religion and theduties of the gospel and yet be but a natural conscience.

A common work of the Spirit may stead a man very much in the duties of religion, though itmust be a special work of the Spirit that steads a man to salvation." [88-89]

3. The conscience of a natural man is subject to distress and trouble

"God sometimes sets the Word home upon the sinner's conscience and applies the terrors of thelaw to it, and this fills the soul with fear and horror of death and hell. Now, in this case, thesoul usually betakes itself to a life of duties merely to fence trouble out of conscience." [90]

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4. Natural conscience, enlightened by the Word, may reveal to a man much of themisery of a natural state; though not effectually to bring him out of it, yet so as to makehim restless and weary in it

"It is said that when Adam and Eve 'saw they were naked, they sewed fig- leaves together, andmade themselves a covering.' So, when once the sinner sees his nakedness and vileness byreason of sin, whereas he should run to Christ, close with Him, and beg His righteousness for acovering that the shame of his nakedness does not appear, he rather runs to a life of duty andperformances; and profession. without Christ trutly embraced and conscience at all renewed." [91]

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III. Question Three [93]: "If a natural conscience may go thus far, then what difference isthere between this natural conscience in hypocrites and sinners and a renewed consciencein believers? Or, how may I know whether the working of my conscience is the working ofnature only or else of grace wrought in it?"

A. "ANSWER. I grant that it is difficult to distinguish between the one and the other,and the difficulty has a two-fold rise:

1. It arises from the hypocrisy that is in the best saints

"The weakest believer is no hypocrite, but yet there is some hypocrisy in the strongest believer.Where there is most grace there is some sin, and where there is most sincerity they is somehypocrisy." [93]

2. It arises from that resemblance there is between grace and hypocrisy; for hypocrisyis a resemblance of grace without substance, the likeness of grace without the life ofgrace

B. Marks of a natural conscience

1. If a natural man's conscience puts him upon duty, he usually bounds himself in thework of God

2. If a natural man's conscience checks or accuses for sin, then he seeks to stop themouth of it but not to satisfy it

3. The natural man seeks to still the noise of conscience rather than to remove the guilt.The believer seeks the removal of guilt by the application of Christ's blood and thenconscience is quiet of itself

"Now, then, if, when conscience accuses for sin, I take up a life of duties, a form of godliness,to stop the mouth of conscience; and if, thereupon, conscience is still and quiet, then this is buta natural conscience. But if, when conscience checks, it will not be satisfied with anything butthe blood of Christ and, therefore, I use duties to bring me to Christ; and if I beg the sprinklingof His blood upon conscience and labor not so much to stop the mouth of it as to remove guiltfrom it, then this is a renewed conscience." [95-96]

3. There is no natural man, let him go never so far, let him do never so much in thematters of religion, but still he has his Delilah, his bosom-lust

4. A natural man prides himself in his duties. If he is much in duty, then he is muchlifted up under duty

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a. Example of the Pharisees

b. Example of a believer

"But, now, take a gracious heart, a renewed conscience, and when his duties are highest, thenhis heart is lowest. Thus it was with the apostle Paul. He was much in service, 'in season, andout of season', preaching up the Lord Jesus with all boldness and earnestness; and yet veryhumble, in a sense, of his own unworthiness under all. 'I am not worthy to be called an apostle.To me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach amongthe Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.' And again, 'Of sinners I am the chief.' Thus abeliever, when he is highest in duties, then is he lowest in humility. Duty puffs up thehypocrite, but a believer comes away humbled. Why? Because the hypocrite has had no visionsof God. He has seen only his own gifts and parts, and this exalts him. But the believer has seen God, and enjoyed communion with God, and this humbles him. . . . Now, then, if I pridemyself in any duty and am puffed up under my performances, then I have not seen nor metwith God in any duty. But, on the other hand, if when my gifts are highest my heart is lowest;if when my spirit is most raised my heart is most humbled; if, in the midst of all my services, Ican maintain a sense of my own unworthiness . . my performances are from a renewedconscience. . . . So when all man's duties terminate in self, self is the principle of all."[Matthew Mead, The Almost Christian Discovered, 97-98]

5. Look what that is to which the heart secretly renders the glory of a duty, and that isthe principle of the duty

"So when all man's duties terminate in self, self is the principle of all." [98]

6. Though a natural conscience may put a man much upon service, yet it never pressesto the attainment of holiness

7. And lastly, if a natural conscience is the spring of duty, why, then, this spring runsfastest at first and so abates and. at last, dries up

Question. Why does that man abate and languish in his duties that does them from a naturalconscience more than he that does them from a renewed conscience? Answer - because theygrow upon a fallible, decaying root.

AND THAT IS THE ANSWER TO THE MAIN QUERY, NAMELY, "HOW IS IT THAT MANYMEN GO SO FAR THAT THEY COME TO BE ALMOST CHRISTIANS?" IT IS TO ANSWERTHE CALL OF CONSCIENCE.

C. Second, it is from the power of the Word under which they live

1. It is a discerning, discovering power

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2. The word has the power of a law

3. It has a judging power

D. Third, a man may go far in this course of profession from affection of applause andcredit and to get a name in the world

E. Fourth, it is from a desire of salvation

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IV. Question Four [105]: "How is it that many are but almost Christians when they havegone thus far? What is the cause of this?

It is for lack of right and sound conviction:

"If a man is not thoroughly convinced of sin and his heart truly broken, whatever his professionof godliness may be, yet he will be sure to miscarry. . . . Rational conviction is that whichproceeds from the working of a natural conscience, charging guilt from the light of nature bythe help of those common principles of reason that are in all men. This is the conviction youread of in Romans 2:14-15. . . . But then there is a spiritual conviction, and this is that work ofthe Spirit of God upon the sinner's heart, by the Word, whereby the guilt and filth of sin is fullydiscovered and the woe and misery of a natural state distinctly set home upon the conscience tothe dread and terror of the sinner while he abides in that state and condition. And this is theconviction that is a sound and thorough work. Many have their convictions, but not thisspiritual conviction." [105]

A. Question Answered

Question. Now you will say, "Suppose I am at any time under conviction; how shall I knowwhether my convictions are only from a natural conscience or whether they are from the Spirit ofGod?" Answer. I should digress too much to draw out the solution of this question to its justlength. I shall, therefore, in five things only lay down the most considerable difference betweenthe one and the other.

1. Natural convictions reach chiefly to open and scandalous sins, sins against the lightof nature, for natural conviction can reach no further than natural light

2. Natural convictions deal only with a man's conversation, not with his state andcondition; with sins actual, not original

3. Natural convictions carry the soul out to look more on the evil that comes by sin thanon the evil that is in sin. So that the soul under this conviction is more troubled at thedread of hell, wrath, and damnation than at the vileness and heinous nature of sin

4. Natural convictions are not durable; they are quickly worn out

5. Natural convictions make the soul shy of God. Guilt works fear and fear causesestrangedness

"Thus it was with Adam; when he saw his nakedness, he ran away and hid himself from God.Now, spiritual convictions do not drive the soul from God, but unto God. Ephraim's conviction was spiritual, and he ran to God. 'Turn Thou me, and I shall be turned.' So that thereis, you see, a great difference between conviction and conversion; between that which is

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natural and that which is spiritual; that which is common and that which is saving. Yea, such isthe difference that, though a man has never so much of the former, yet, if he is without thelatter, he is but almost a Christian.

"True conversion begins in convictions and true convictions end in conversion. Till the sinneris convinced of sin, he can never be converted from sin. Christ's conning was as a Savior to diefor sinners, and the Spirit's coming is to convince us as sinners that we may close with Christas a Savior. Till sin is thoroughly revealed to us, interest in the blood of Christ cannot rightlybe claimed by us. Nay, as long as sin is unseen, Christ will be unsought." [109]

"Second, and this has a near relation to the former, it is for lack of a thorough work of grace firstwrought in the heart." [110]

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V. Question Five [113]: "What is the reason that many go no further in the profession ofreligion than to be almost Christians?"

A. Reason 1. It is because they deceive themselves in the truth of their own condition. Theymistake their state and think it good and safe when it is bad and dangerous

1. Five Grounds for this Mistake

a. The desperate deceitfulness of the heart of every natural man

b. This mistake arises from the pride of a man's spirit

c. Many deceive themselves with common grace instead of saving through thatresemblance that is between them

d. Many mistake a profession of religion for a work of conversion and outsidereformation for a sure sign of inward regeneration

e. Lack of a home application of the law of God to the heart and conscience to revealto a man the true state and condition he is in

"Here is his apprehension of his condition with the Word, and that is quite contrary to what itwas before: 'When the commandment came, said he, then sin revived, and I died.' The Word ofthe Lord came with power upon his soul when the Spirit of God set it home effectually uponhis conscience (that is meant by the coming of the commandment, 'then sin revived, and Idied'). That is, I saw the desperateness of my case and the filthiness of all my self-righteousness. Then my hope ceased and my confidence failed; and, as before I thought myselfalive and my sin dead, so, when God had awakened conscience by the Word, then I saw my sinalive and powerful and myself dead and miserable." [117]

B. Reason 2. It is from Satan's cunning who, if he cannot keep sinners in their openprofaneness, then he labors to persuade them to take up with a form of godliness

C. Reason 3. It is from worldly and carnal policy

D. Reason 4. There are some lusts espoused in the heart that hinder a hearty closing with Christ

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Use of Application [121]

INFERENCE 1. Salvation is not as easy a thing as it is imagined to be.

INFERENCE 2. If many go thus far in the way to heaven and yet miscarry, oh, then, what shallbe the end of those who fall short of these! If he shall perish who is almost a Christian, what shallhe do who is not at all a Christian?

Use of Examination [125]

Two questions of great importance: 1) What am I? 12) Where am I?

What am I? Am I a child of God or not?

Where am I? Am I yet in a natural state or a state of grace?

Arguments to Encourage Self-Examination.

1. Because many rest in a notion of godliness and outward shows of religion, yet remain in theirnature condition.

"Many are hearers of the Word but not doers of it, and so deceive their own souls. Someneither hear nor do; these are profane sinners. Some both hear and do; these are true believers.Some hear but do not do; these are hypocritical professors." [126-27]

"Whoever would trust a profession shall see Judas, a disciple, an apostle, a preacher of thegospel. He was one who cast out devils, yet cast out himself." [127]

2. Because errors in the first foundation are very dangerous.

3. Because many are the deceits that our souls are liable to m this case.

4. Satan will try us at one time or other.

5. Whatever a man's state is, whether he is altogether a Christian or not, whether his principlesare sound or not, yet it is good to examine his own heart.

QUESTION. You say, "But how shall I come to know whether I am almost or altogether aChristian.'' if a man may go so far and yet miscarry, how shall I know when my foundation isright, when 1 am a Christian indeed?"

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ANSWER 1. The altogether Christian closes with and accepts Christ upon gospel terms. Trueunion makes a true Christian.

"Now many embrace Christ as a Priest but they do not own Him as a King and Prophet. Theylike to share in His righteousness but not to partake of His holiness. They would be redeemedby Him but they would not submit to Him. They would be saved by His blood but not submitto His power. Many love the privileges of the gospel but not the duties of the gospel. Now,these are but almost Christians, notwithstanding their closing with Christ; for it is upon theirown terms but not upon God's. The offices of Christ may be distinguished but they can neverbe divided. But the true Christian owns Christ in all His offices. He not only closes with Himas Jesus, but as Lord Jesus. He says with Thomas, 'My Lord, and my God.' He not onlybelieves in the merit of His death but also conforms to the manner of his life. As he believes inHim, so he lives to Him. He takes Him for His wisdom as well as for His righteousness; forHis sanctification as well as His redemption." [130]

ANSWER 3. He who is altogether a Christian looks to the manner as well as to the matter of hisduties; not only that they are done, but how they are done.

ANSWER 4. The altogether Christian is known by is sincerity in all his performances.

ANSWER 5. He who is altogether a Christian has a correspondence within to the law without.

"This is that which is promised in the new covenant: 'I will put my law in their hearts.'" [132]

ANSWER 6. The altogether Christian is much in duty, and yet much above duty; much in duty inregard of performances, much above duty in regard of dependence; much in duty by obeying, butmuch above duty by believing. He lives in his obedience, not upon his obedience, rather uponChrist and His righteousness. The almost Christian fails in this.

ANSWER 7. He who is altogether a Christian is universal in his obedience. He does not obeyone command and neglect another, do one duty and cast off another, but he has respect to all thecommands.

ANSWER 8. The altogether Christian makes God's glory the chief end of all His performances.If he prays, hears, gives, lasts, repents, or obeys, etc., God's glory is the main end of all.

Use of Caution [135]

The dangers of being an almost Christian . . .

"What one said of wisdom, 'Many might have been wise had they not thought themselves sowhen they were otherwise', the same I may say of grace. Many a formal professor might have

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been a sincere believer had he not mistaken his profession for conversion, his duties for grace,and so rested in that for sincerity. That is but hypocrisy." [139]

The Dangers of Being an Almost Christian

1. It is dangerous to be almost a Christian in that this stills and serves to quiet conscience.

"Now, it is very dangerous to quiet conscience with anything but the blood of Christ." [141]

2. It is dangerous to be almost a Christian in respect of the unpardonable sin, the sin that theScripture said can never be forgiven, neither in this world nor in the world to come.

Three ingredients of the sin against the Holy Ghost: 1) It be willful; 2) It be against light andconviction; 3) It be in resolved malice.

Julian the Apostate was first Julian the professor.

3. Being but almost a Christian provokes God to bring dreadful spiritual judgments upon a man.

4. Being almost, and but almost. Christians will exceedingly aggravate our damnation.

"The higher a man rises under the means, the lower he falls if he miscarries. He who falls but alittle short of heaven will fall deepest into hell. He who has been nearest to conversion, beingnot converted, shall have the deepest damnation when he is judged.. Capernaum's sentenceshall exceed Sodom's for severity because she exceeded Sodom in the enjoyment of mercy.She received more from God, she knew more of God; she professed more for God, and yet wasnot right with God. Therefore, she shall be punished more by God. The higher the rise, thegreater the fall. The higher the profession, the lower the damnation. He miscarries with a lightin his hand. He perishes under many convictions, and convictions never end but in a soundconversion (as in all saints) or in a sad damnation (as in all hypocrites)." [145]

Use of Exhortation [147]

The Uniqueness of the Riches of Grace.

Marks of Worldly Comfort.

Marks of Godly Comfort.

Why Saints are Sometimes Without Comfort.

1. Sin within.

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2.Another spring of the believer's trouble and disconsolateness of spirit is the desertions of God,and this follows upon the former. God sometimes disappears and hides Himself from His people:

3. A third spring of that trouble and complaint that brims the Banks of the Christian's spirit is thetemptations of Satan.

"If the saints could serve God without sinning, and enjoy God without yielding, they mightenjoy peace and comfort without sorrowing. This must be endeavored constantly here, but itwill never be attained fully but in heaven. But yet, so tar as grace is the prevailing principle inthe heart, and so far as the power of God is exercised in this life, so far the condition of a childof God is a condition of peace; for it is an undoubted truth that the fruit of righteousness shallbe peace. But suppose the people of God experience little of this comfort in this life; yet:

They find it in the day of death. Grace and holiness will minister unto us then and thatministration will be peace.

Nothing makes a deathbed so uneasy and hard as a life spent in the service of sin and lust;nothing makes deathbed so soft and sweet as a life spent in the service of God and Christ.Or put the case, the people of God should not meet with this comfort then; yet,

They shall be sure to find it after death. If time brings none of this fruit to ripeness, yeteternity shall." [157-58]

CONSIDERATION 4. "What an entire resignation wicked men make of themselves to theirlusts! And shall not we do so to the Lord Christ? They give up themselves without reserve to thepleasures of sin, and shall we have our reserves in the service of God? They are altogethersinners, and shall not we be altogether saints? They run and faint not in the service of their lusts,and shall we faint and not run in the service of Christ? Shall the servants of corruption have theirears bored to the doorposts of sin in token of an entire and perpetual service, and shall we notgive up ourselves to the Lord Christ to be His forever? Shall others make a covenant with helland death, and shall we not join ourselves to God in an everlasting covenant that cannot beforgotten? Shall they take more pains to damn their souls than we do to save ours? Shall theymake more speed to a place of vengeance than we do to a crown of righteousness? Which do youjudge best, to be saved everlastingly or to perish everlastingly? Which do you count the bestmaster, God or the devil? Christ or your lusts? I know you will determine it on Christ's side. Oh,then, when others serve their lusts with all their hearts, you serve Christ with all your hearts! Ifthe hearts of the sons of men are fully set in them to do evil, then, much more, let the hearts ofthe sons of God be fully set in them to do good." [158-59]

QUESTION. But you will say possibly, "How shall I io it? What means shall I use that I mayattain to a thorough work in my heart that I may be no longer almost, but altogether a Christian?"

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ANSWER. Now I shall lay down three rules of direction instead of many to further and help youin this important duty, and so leave this work to God's blessing.

Direction 1. Break off all false peace of conscience. This is the devil's bond to hold the soul fromseeking after Christ. As there is the peace of God, so there is the peace of Satan; but they areeasily known for they are as contrary as heaven and ' hell, as light and darkness.

Direction 2. Labor after a thorough work of conviction. Every conviction will not do. The almostChristian has his convictions as well as the true Christian or else he would have never gone sofar; but they are not sound and right convictions or else he would have gone further.

Three Things We Must be Convinced of:

"1. Be convinced of the evil of sin, the filthy and heinous nature of it. This is the greatest evilin the world. It wrongs God, it wounds Christ, it grieves the Holy Spirit, and it ruins a precioussoul. All other evils are not to be named with this. My brethren, though to do sin is the worstwork, yet to see sin is the best sight; for sin discovered in its vileness makes Christ to bedesired in His fulness." [163]

2. Be convinced of the misery and desperate danger of a natural condition; for, till we see theplague of our hearts and the misery of our state by nature, we shall never be brought offourselves to seek help in another.

3. Be convinced of the utter insufficiency and inability of anything below Christ Jesus tominister relief to your soul in this case.

"Alas! It is an infinite righteousness that must satisfy tor us, for it is an infinite God that isoffended by us. If ever your sin is pardoned, it is infinite mercy that must pardon it. If ever youare reconciled to God, it is infinite merit must do it. If ever your heart is changed and your staterenewed, it is infinite power must effect it; and if ever your soul escapes hell and is saved atlast, it is infinite grace must save it." [164]

"You must know that a sinner can never come to Christ, for he is dead in sin, in enmity againstChrist, an enemy to God and the grace of God; but there are certain qualifications that comebetween the soul's dead state in sin and the work of conversion and closing with Christwhereby the soul is put into a capacity brought immediately out of his dead state and made tobelieve in Jesus Christ. There are some qualifications coming in between. Now, soundconvictions are the right qualifications for the sinner's receiving Christ; for He 'came not to callthe righteous, but sinners to repentance'; that is, such as see themselves sinners and, thereby, ina lost condition. So Luke exemplifies it: 'The Son of man is come to seek and to save thatwhich was lost. He is anointed, and sent to bind up the broken-hearted, to comfort all thatmourn.'" [164-65]

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Direction 3. Never rest in convictions till they end in conversion. This is that wherein most menmiscarry. They rest in their convictions and take them for conversion, as if sin seen weretherefore forgiven, or as if a sight of the lack of grace were the truth of the work of grace.

"What is it that troubles poor creatures when they come to die but this: 'I have not improvedmy convictions. At such a time I was convinced of sin, but yet I still went on in sin in the faceof my convictions. In such a sermon I was convinced of such a duty, but I slighted theconviction; I was convinced of my lack of Christ, and of the readiness of Christ to pardon andsave, but alas! I did not follow the conviction.'" [165]

Mead's closing paragraph:

"Now, therefore, has the Spirit of the Lord been at work in your souls? Have you ever beenconvinced of the evil of sin, of the misery of a natural state, of the insufficiency of all thingsunder heaven to help, of the fulness and righteousness of Jesus Christ, of the necessity ofsanctification and salvation? Have you ever been really convinced of these things? Oh, then, asyou love your own souls, as ever you hope to be saved at last and enjoy God forever, improvethese convictions and be sure you do not rest in them till they rise up to a thorough closingwith the Lord Jesus Christ, and so end in a sound and perfect conversion! Thus shall you benot only almost, but altogether a Christian." [166]

THE END

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